Panels that have a layer of foam between an outer skin and an inner substrate are known. Such panels typically have the layer of foam extending across at least a part of the substrate layer and the outer skin extending across the foam layer such that a three-layered panel is provided. For example, instrument panels for motor vehicles can include such a panel with the underlying substrate typically made from a polymeric material and the outer skin made from a flexible sheet material such as leather, flexible polymeric materials, and the like. In between the substrate and the skin the foam layer provides a cushioned appearance and/or feel which can provide the look and feel of a luxury vehicle and the like.
Prior art foam-filled panels as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at reference numeral 10 have typically required multiple manufacturing steps after the panel 10 has been produced in order to complete or make the panel 10 suitable for installation into a separate component such as a motor vehicle, speaker system, and the like. For example, the foam-filled panel 10 can be part of an instrument panel for a motor vehicle and have an underlying substrate 100, an intermediate foam layer 110, and an outer skin 120. Production of the panel 10 typically includes placing the substrate 100 and the outer skin 120 in a clamshell foam-filling apparatus such that upon closure of the clamshell apparatus edges of the outer skin 120 are sealed against appropriate regions of the substrate 100. The a liquid foam mixture is injected through a foam injection port 102 in order to fill a foam space between the substrate 100 and the outer skin 120.
In order to prevent leaking of the liquid foam mixture during the filling process, apertures such as those shown at 104 must be covered with tape 106 and the outer skin 120 must extend and be continuous over the port 102. Then after the foam mixture has been provided between the substrate 100 and the outer skin 120, and allowed to harden or cure in order to provide the foam layer 110, additional steps are required. For example, it is not uncommon for the foam injection port 102 to be located at a position where an acoustic speaker for the motor vehicle is to be located. However, a complete or full speaker opening would be too large to serve as a foam injection port, and as such, the foam injection port 102 must be expanded by removal of material 108 from the substrate 100 after the foam layer 110 has been provided and in order to afford a useable speaker opening.
In addition to the above, a portion 122 of the outer skin 120 must also be removed in order for the speaker to be attached to the substrate 100 using apertures 104. As such, at least two additional steps that include removal of the outer skin portion 122 and removal of the substrate portion 108 are required after the three-layered foam injected panel 10 has been produced. Furthermore, applying and then removal of the tape 106 to cover and then uncover, respectively, the apertures 104 is at least two more steps that require added expense labor, etc. during the manufacture of the foam-filled panel 10. Therefore, a foam-filled panel that did not require additional materials, additional steps during manufacture, and the like would be desirable.